


Rescue

by SpecialHell



Series: Stucky AU series with Random Verbs for Titles [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bucky Barnes & Sam Wilson Friendship, CATWS Shaped Bucky, Fluff, M/M, Nurse Steve Rogers, Paramedic Natasha Romanov, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 05:08:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17502173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecialHell/pseuds/SpecialHell
Summary: Steve helps Bucky escape some unwanted advances.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so I wrote a thing. I'm kinda shaky on my whole 'self-worth/ability' right now, but I wrote it, and it exists, so here it is. There's more chapters than I thought there would be, and I'm half-playing with the idea of doing a series (but I probably won't because it took me so long to just convince myself to start writing this).  
> Either way, I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> BTW, I've purposely left the relationship between Sam and Nat vague, because it doesn't matter to the story. If you think they're a couple, that's great. If not, there's nothing here to put you off. 
> 
> P.S. I'm bad at titles. I've always been bad at titles. I probably always will be.

Steve pushed his way from the bar towards the door. It was getting late, and his blind date was obviously not going to show up. He was stopped mid-way to the exit by a man around his own age and build - smiling, beautiful, but a complete stranger. The man put a hand on each of Steve’s shoulders and leaned towards his ear, as if to kiss his cheek.

“Smile like you know me,” he whispered, and Steve wasn’t an idiot. He smiled while scanning the room behind them. The man pulled back, and Steve kept smiling as if he was an old friend.

“Pushy guy or girl?” He inquired, keeping the man close as people jostled around them.

“Drunk couple looking for a threeway,” the man supplied, and Steve tutted with genuine sympathy.

“Been there,” he raised his own arms and rested his hands at the crook of the man’s elbows; selling the charade as he kept talking. “Need me to get you to a taxi?”

“Please,” the man smiled, then dropped his hands from Steve’s shoulders. The relief was palpable, and Steve’s smile turned soft and genuine as he offered the stranger his left arm. The man wrapped his right hand around Steve’s bicep, and let himself be led from the bar.

 

~

 

Outside, the stranger let go of Steve as soon as it appeared safe. Steve, being the gentleman that he was, didn’t allow the sigh of disappointment to be heard.

“Thanks,” the man said. “You’re a lifesaver.”

Steve couldn’t be sure if he blushed at the compliment - it was cold outside after all. He took a few steps towards his motorbike, before stopping to turn back.

“Can I give you a ride?” Steve asked, and he could almost see the change from the stranger almost saying ‘yes’ to that sensible part of his brain stepping in to remind him that Steve was a total stranger.

“It’s ok, I’ll get a cab. Thanks for the offer, though.” The man flagged down a passing taxi and Steve stood by, watching until he was sure the man was safely on his way. With an audible sigh, Steve headed on towards his bike. Meet-cutes only happen in rom-coms. Of course the stranger who asked for his help wasn’t going to get on the back of his bike and ride away with him. Don’t be an idiot, Rogers.

Steve was pulled from his melancholy by the sound of his phone receiving a message. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone, smiling down at the name on the screen.

 

 **Sam:** _So how was the date?? Am I interrupting anything? ;-)_

Steve laughed to himself as he typed out his reply. Sam cared more about Steve’s love life than Steve did at this point.

 

 **Steve:** _No show. You busy?_

 

The reply was almost instantaneous, and Steve was glad. Attractive stranger aside, this night had sucked, and he didn’t want to be alone.

 

 **Sam:** _Nah, head on over._

 

Steve didn’t need to be told twice. He put on his helmet, slipped his phone into his jacket pocket, and straddled his bike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading everyone! I'm so surprised/happy/squiggly over receiving so many lovely comments (& kudos)   
> I can't promise I'll make this a series, but if you're Twitter-inclined you can follow me @HellWrites and watch me agonise over it for a while 😜


	2. Chapter 2

The ride to Sam’s place only took ten minutes, but that was enough time to lift Steve’s spirits a little. Ok, so the date was a bust. It wasn’t like Steve was expecting much. For the last year, everyone had been trying to set him up with someone. So far he’d only had a good time on two of those dates - Sharon and Maria - and now those two were dating each other, which Steve liked to take some credit for. The only thing that really bothered him was that this was the first time he’d ever been stood up. Sure, some of the dates had been disastrous - mostly the ones Tony set him up on - but at least there’d actually been a date.

 

Steve parked up at the curb and took off his helmet, just in time to see a cab pulling up across the street and a familiar stranger stepping out. When he looked up and saw Steve, his steps faltered. Steve got off his bike and hung up his helmet as the man crossed over and stopped in front of him.

“You’re not following me, are you?” His tone was only half-joking, so Steve didn’t risk a quip.

“I have a friend who lives here,” Steve explained as he headed towards the building.

“Well it seems like I just wasted my money.”

Steve laughed, and then stepped aside when the man pulled out his key. It was easier than buzzing up to Sam.

“So where does your friend live?”

“On the third floor,” Steve walked slowly to match step with the stranger, and a thought hit him. “I’m Steve, by the way.”

“James,” the man - James - answered. “But my friends call me Bucky.”

Steve smiled, but didn’t respond. He didn’t want to assume anything, and asking if he could call James ‘Bucky’ was too embarrassing an option.

 

All too soon they arrived at Sam’s floor. James indicated towards the stairs leading upwards.

“I’m on fifth.”

“It was nice to meet you,” Steve said, then immediately berated himself internally. What kind of thing was that to say?

“You too, Steve,” James smiled, and Steve felt his heart stutter. That wasn’t the smile from the bar.

The moment was broken by the sound of the door behind him, and Steve turned his head to see Sam.

“You didn’t buzz me,” Sam complained, before looking past Steve to see James. “Oh, hey Bucky. Did you let Steve in?”

“Uh, yeah,” Bucky turned away from the steps he was about to climb to talk to Sam. “Hope you don’t mind. He kinda saved me from a situation earlier, so I figured he was probably trustworthy.”

“Situation?” Sam asked, and Steve couldn’t help smiling at Sam’s concerned face. He hadn’t seen it directed at anyone but himself in a long time.

“Just a handsy couple. No big deal,” Bucky brushed it off.

“Well, hey, if you’re not busy, why don’t you come in?” Sam offered. Steve’s heart was bouncing between ‘please say yes’ and ‘oh nononono’ as he looked to see what Bucky’s response would be.

“I have an early shift,” Bucky replied, genuine regret in his voice. “Rain check?”

“Yeah, sure thing,” Sam smiled. “Nat’s not home anyways, so you’d probably be bored without someone to practice on.”

Bucky laughed, but Steve was confused. “Practice?”

“They’re language buddies,” Sam supplied. “This month is… Russian?”

Bucky nodded his agreement, and Steve was sure his head was radiating hearts like a cartoon right now.

“Goodnight,” Bucky waved before heading towards the stairs again.

Sam opened the door wider to let Steve in, and Steve tried not to react to the teasing smirk on Sam’s face. Once the door was shut, Steve took off his coat and shoes, while Sam headed to the kitchen for beer.

“I didn’t realise you and Bucky had never met,” Sam called from the kitchen.

“Well now we have,” Steve called back, defensive. Sam came through with two beers, and joined Steve where he was now sitting on the couch.

“I’ll have to tell Nat that we missed a trick.”

“Can I please get over one disaster of a set-up before you start working on another?” Steve was exasperated, but he also couldn’t deny the excitement tingling within at the thought of seeing Bucky again.

“Alright,” Sam handed Steve a beer and turned his body to fully face his friend. “What happened?”

“Nothing,” Steve replied with a sigh. “Literally nothing. I was there for almost two hours. He didn’t show.”

“That sucks,” Sam was sympathetic, but there was still a twinkle in his eye. “But at least you got to meet Bucky. What did you save him from, exactly?”

“He’s exaggerating,” Steve was getting embarrassed about the whole situation, and Sam was starting to sense it too. “He came up to me to hide from some couple that was trying to get him into a threesome, and I got him out of the bar.”

“Well I appreciate it all the same. Bucky’s been through a lot, and honestly him coming up to you is a great step.”

“A step? What…?”

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Sam cut Steve off hastily. “It’s his life, and his story to tell. I’m not breaking his trust. I shouldn’t have started… I’m just glad he’s ok, that’s all.”

“Ok,” Steve let it drop in favour of drinking his beer. Sam ordered pizza and they watched mindless TV until Natasha got home. Sam and Nat went to bed and, upon both their insistence, Steve slept on the couch.


	3. Chapter 3

A week later, Steve was lying on his bed after a shower, contemplating the merits of sleeping wet and naked rather than getting up to dry and change, when his phone chimed.

 

 **Nat:** _Get your ass over here. Bring wine._

 

Well that certainly made the decision for him. Steve hadn’t seen Nat in a month, their schedules just not matching up. Sam he’d seen last week, but they’d barely even chatted since then. The joys of adulthood. Steve rolled onto his side, so he wouldn’t drop his phone while he replied.

 

 **Steve:** _Red?_

**Nat:** _Obviously x_

Steve loved Nat’s insta-reply ways. He got up and quickly dressed himself. There was only rosé in his fridge - a gift from work - and Nat would kill him for bringing that into her home, so he headed out in search of red wine.

 

~

 

The good wine store was fifteen minutes out of his way, but Steve knew how much Nat appreciated it when he put in the effort. Their friendship was special to Steve, because she picked up his cues and didn’t push him too hard. Whether that was about his past relationship, the state of his current love life, or when he’d last called his therapist. Sam always told him the truth, and Tony was always eager to help, but Natasha understood him.

 

Steve buzzed up to the apartment, and the door lock clicked barely a minute later. He took the stairs two at a time; his energy having returned at the prospect of spending the evening in good company. The energy, as well as the colour in his face, drained away when he opened the apartment door to see Bucky sitting on the couch. More specifically, Bucky was sitting on the couch in a soft woollen jumper with his bare feet curled up underneath him, and Steve’s heart was about ready to implode at the sight. Steve shut the door behind him, and Bucky looked up at the sound.

“Oh. Hi.” Bucky smiled, but Steve could tell that Bucky wasn’t expecting him.

“Hey,” Steve smiled back, before taking off his jacket and shoes. He headed straight to the kitchen, where Sam and Nat were both preparing dinner.

“Is this a set-up?” Steve asked. Sam looked over to see the tense line of Steve’s neck, but Nat cut in before he could answer.

“Wine.”

Steve handed her the wine. She took a look and smiled at the label.

“I should’ve warned you it was for the beef,” she set it to one side. “This stuff isn’t for cooking. And you paid too much, again.”

“I know you like the good stuff,” Steve’s expression softened, and Nat looked up at him as if sensing the shift. “Are you setting me up?” His voice was quiet, almost sad as he asked.

“Not ‘no’, but not really,” Nat replied, and Steve couldn’t stop the huff in response.

“Look, we’re all friends here,” Sam took over, as Nat went back to cooking. Steve could see from the corner of his eye that she was changing the recipe so they could drink the wine instead. “Bucky is a great guy, and I can’t believe we missed out on introducing you two for so long.”

“How long have you known him?” Steve asked. He’d been friends with Sam and Nat for years, and something childish inside him didn’t like that they had a friend he didn’t know about.

“Almost a year,” Sam replied. “He’s only been friendly these last few months. I’m not getting into that.”

“Yeah, I know,” Steve stopped Sam’s apology before it began. “Not your story. I get it. It’s just weird that we’ve never crossed paths before and suddenly now you’re inviting me over to dinner with him here?”

“Jesus, fine!” Nat turned from the stove, and the laughter in her eyes counteracted the complaint in her tone. “It’s a set-up. We want you two to get married and have babies. Whatever. Just get out of my kitchen.”

Steve laughed, but did as he was told. It might be awkward at first, but Steve did want to get to know Bucky. Entering the living room, Steve made his steps heavier so Bucky would know he was there. It was a habit around new people that he’d picked up when he first met Natasha. She’d elbowed him in the throat once, and then complained that he was too light-footed. Bucky turned his head as Steve approached, and Steve did his best to smile without looking goofy. Tony had told him once that he was the human equivalent of the ‘heart eyes’ emoji when he liked someone.

“Hi. Again.” Bucky’s smile was soft, and if he’d heard anything that just transpired in the kitchen, he wasn’t letting on.

“Dinner might be delayed,” Steve offered a bag of pretzels he’d brought with him. “Pretzel?”

Bucky looked at Steve like he was something strange and interesting, and this time Steve definitely felt the blush on his neck.

“No thanks. Are you sitting?” It was phrased like a question, but it was an invitation. Steve nodded and sat down, all his willpower preventing him from immediately falling sideways and nuzzling into Bucky’s wool-clad chest.

Steve didn’t realise how touch-starved he’d been over the last few years until that moment. Well… damn.

Steve cleared his throat and kept his gaze away from Bucky. “What are we watching?”

“Nat wants to watch some horror movie. She won’t tell me what it’s about.”

“You scare easy?” Steve asked, risking a sideways glance.

“Not so much,” Bucky was looking at Steve as he spoke, and so Steve had to turn his body towards Bucky and meet his gaze. It was the polite thing to do. “She thinks I don’t give movies a chance. I see a premise I think is stupid, and I won’t bother watching it. She says I’m missing out on ‘valuable life experience’.” Bucky made air quotes, and Steve laughed. He caught a shimmer from Bucky’s left hand, and Steve turned his eyes towards it, half expecting to see a wedding ring that Sam and Nat had somehow managed to miss.

What he saw instead was an entirely metal hand, disappearing into the woolly sleeve that Steve still wanted to rub his face against. Bucky saw Steve looking, and pulled his sleeve over the hand. Steve wasn’t stupid. Obviously Bucky wasn’t ready to talk about it, so he steered the conversation back with as little awkwardness as possible.

“I get the same advice about dating,” Steve offered. “Sam has taken to setting me up on blind dates now. He won’t tell me anything beyond their name and gender identity.”

 

“That’s because you, sir, are a terrible mix of shy and picky,” Sam cut into their conversation, walking towards them from the kitchen.

 

“I’m not picky,” Steve defended. “I just…” he trailed off. It was too early to admit that his fear of heartbreak had led to loneliness and social isolation. Sam noticed how upset Steve was becoming, so he changed course.

“Ok, I’ll admit I’ve set you up with some bad ones. At least none of them stole from you, or stabbed you, right?”

“Not successfully,” Steve conceded. “That one guy did try to ride off with my bike.”

Bucky’s laugh made Steve jump, and he looked over in time to melt inside at the crinkles around Bucky’s eyes.

“Ok, so at least a movie can’t steal my stuff,” Bucky conceded. “I don’t see why I can’t know anything about it. It’s not like I can leave.”

“We’re not holding you hostage,” Sam smiled.

 

“I am!” Nat shouted from the kitchen.

 

Steve’s insides were doing strange new things as Bucky and Sam laughed together. For the first time in years, that feeling of ‘I want this’ rose up in his chest. It was terrifying, but Steve couldn’t stop smiling.


	4. Chapter 4

“Alright,” Bucky threw his hands up as the credits rolled. “You were right. That movie was pretty good.”

Steve was sitting next to Bucky, a cushion clutched tightly against his stomach. He didn’t care for horror movies. He flinched and jumped the whole way through.

“There’s three more in the franchise,” Nat said with a grin. Steve wilted at the thought, and Bucky looked over with sympathy.

“Not your thing?” His tone was gentle, but not pitying, and Steve could only shake his head.

“I’ll never understand how a guy who deals with real-world trauma all day can get scared so easy,” Sam wasn’t mocking Steve, but he pouted anyway.

“Trauma?” Bucky enquired.

“I’m an ER nurse,” Steve explained before turning his attention back to Sam. “And for the most part, nobody jumps out at me with knives at work.”

“Do you work at the same hospital as Nat?” Bucky asked. Steve turned his head back towards Bucky and smiled. They hadn’t talked much during dinner or the movie.

“It’s my base hospital, yeah,” Nat answered for him. “That’s how we met.”

“You may have noticed,” Sam cut in with a wicked smirk. “Bringing home strays is kind of Nat’s thing.”

Bucky laughed, and Steve hit Sam with the cushion he was still holding. Silence settled for a moment, and Steve noticed the clock. It was almost twelve already.

“I should head out,” Steve sighed, moving to get up. “I’m on day shift tomorrow.”

“Me too,” Nat stood up too, and Steve couldn’t hide the bright smile. He really had missed Natasha.

“Are you days all week?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Until Friday.”

“Working the weekend?”

“Only Friday night,” Steve leaned in to hug Sam as he continued talking to Nat. “After that I’m on leave.”

“That’s great,” Sam responded. “I’ve been saying you need a break.”

“Plus, it means you’re free next Saturday night,” Nat smiled. “Up for the sequel?”

Steve looked around nervously. He’d had fun, and he really liked the idea of doing it again, but horror movies were the worst.

“Hey,” Bucky stepped forward, as if sensing Steve’s conflict. “You can’t leave me with these two.” Nat and Sam gave only token protests as Bucky moved closer to Steve. “I’ll protect you from the monsters. Promise.”

The silence from Sam and Nat told Steve he probably had ‘heart eyes’ right now, but he didn’t care. He smiled, bright and honest, and gave a small nod.

“Ok. I’ll see you next weekend, then.”

“I can’t wait,” Bucky’s returning smile was breathtaking, and Steve barely remembered what he was meant to be doing. When his brain clicked back online, Steve stepped away and turned towards Nat. She pulled him into a hug and he tried not to cling on.

“See you tomorrow,” Nat said, and her expression was softer than Steve had seen it in a while. He left the apartment feeling light and hopeful. When he got home there was a message on his phone.

 

 **Nat:** _***** This is Bucky’s number. Send him cute dog pictures. He likes that._

 

Steve stared down at the number with a grin on his face. He saved it in his contacts before getting ready for bed, and forced himself not to send a message. He wanted to, but that would just be too weird so soon. Instead, he pulled the blankets up over himself and drifted to sleep with thoughts of next weekend.


End file.
